Who we are
Menter Ysgolion Cymraeg (The Welsh Schools Initiative) is a charity that represents a number of Welsh and English medium churches of different denominations, in Cardiff and its surrounding areas.
Our aim is to explain the Christian faith to schoolchildren in Cardiff and across Wales, and allow them to explore the Bible’s claims for themselves. We visit infant, junior and secondary schools, as well as Welsh-language units, to take assemblies and RE lessons.
Representatives from several churches meet once a term to pray for the work and support the workers. On the committee are a board of trustees who include representatives from the working committee.
What we do
We aim to increase children’s interest in the Bible, and help them see how Christians apply to their lives today. In everything we do, we always aim to be:
- visual
- relevant
- creative
- educational
- Biblical
Assemblies | Practical Workshops | School Clubs | Additional Needs |Books and More!
Assemblies
Collective worship in schools is an ideal place to let children know that there is good news for them, and we must use it to good effect. We go into mainly primary schools to speak to children. In these sessions, we often use sketchboard, where Bible stories are told in pictures, with characters and words being painted in as the story unfolds.
Along with sketchboard, we use puppets, drama, conjuring and other visual aids to get the message across – but always with the Bible’s message centre-stage in everything we present.
During this period of Covid-19, we have been producing on-line ‘Home Assembly’ videos that teachers and parents can use as ready-made assemblies while whole schools are not meeting together.
Practical Workshops
We present the message of Christmas through presentations of ‘Lapio’r Nadolig’ (‘Christmas Wrapped Up’) and ‘Cracio’r Pasg’ (‘Easter Cracked’). These take place in a local church building with children visiting to explore the story in practical ways including drama, multimedia presentations, craft, literacy work and lots of fun! Working with local churches can develop connections between schools and nearby places of worship.
School Clubs
We run clubs in partnership with local churches or teams of Christians doing similar work to ours. We currently hold a secondary school club, with activities including games, fun and opportunities to hear what the Bible says and what Christians believe.
Additional Needs
We partner with a small Cardiff-based group called Lighthouse4All to provide activities throughout the year for children with additional needs and their families. For more information, check out their site: Lighthouse4All.
Books and More!
What do children fear most about high school? What do they miss most about primary school? Each year, we present Scripture Union’s ‘It’s Your Move‘ book (‘Y Cam Nesaf’ in Welsh) to hundreds of children in year six, at the end of their time in primary school. This is a useful resource to help children adjust to the new experience of going off to high school. It’s full of useful tips, advice and encouragements, including testimonies, poems and Bible stories. Although quite low-key with the gospel, it lets children know that God is always there for them when they feel like a very small fish in a very big pond!
We promote www.beibl.net in our work in schools. This is an exciting website full of Bible resources and study aids, presented alongside a new on-line translation of the Bible in simple, contemporary Welsh.
